


Why don’t you take your heart out?

by ed6



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, How Do I Tag, M/M, One Shot, background nomin, maybe a lil bit of humor, they're both just dumbasses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-20 17:47:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16142330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ed6/pseuds/ed6
Summary: Mark's obliviousness was a massive problem in Donghyuck's foolproof plan of making the other like him back. But it's fine because Donghyuck always finds a way.





	Why don’t you take your heart out?

**Author's Note:**

> playlist to listen to while reading: http://open.spotify.com/user/tlcjj4hrfhpue0groonj6ckx7/playlist/56QdMxxHLEU2uXPWzc0SNM?si=X8QnVXe_Sg67Scf_nn8g_A

Maybe Mark was a little easy. Maybe Mark was just a little too naïve, or maybe he just played along too well. Maybe it was because Mark was always there for him.

 

Maybe Mark was too nice to him. Donghyuck had the tendency to fall easily for people who treated him well.

 

Maybe Mark just had a look in his eyes that drew Donghyuck in. As much as he tried not to stare, he got lost in them sometimes. Mark never thought much of it. Maybe he’s just _stupid_.

 

Maybe Mark was just a little too difficult for Donghyuck to solve with the same formula he used for math equations. Maybe he had to figure the different parts of him out one by one.

 

Maybe Mark just wasn’t custom-made for Donghyuck, maybe there were a thousand reasons why Donghyuck shouldn’t feel that way about him. But maybe, and surely, Donghyuck always got his way.

 

Donghyuck _always_ finds a way. No ‘but’s, no ‘maybe’s.

 

 

 

Today was like any other day, the sun was shining and Donghyuck was distracted in class. It didn’t matter since he was sitting in a blind spot he had strategically moved his table into, but Jeno was blowing his cover massively.

 

Donghyuck shushed him, finger up to his lips. The other frowned, staring back up at the whiteboard. Ten times Jeno tried to get to that seat before Donghyuck did, ten times he failed. Everyone was no match for Donghyuck.

 

Which brings him to his next point, why couldn’t he figure Mark out? Everything Mark did felt like something fresh and new that Donghyuck had never experienced. He was pretty sure that he had started liking Mark due to curiosity, a very foolish thing, Donghyuck would admit. Sometimes he just lets his emotions get to him, though he doesn’t seem like the type to do so.

 

 

 

“Why do you even like Mark?” Jeno asked with a furrowed brow and his hair covering the other. It’s complex, _maybe_.

 

It’s simple, _really_.

 

“I just like him,” Donghyuck shrugged. “Do they have chicken nuggets today?”

 

 

 

“Give me your friend’s number,” Jaemin insisted, pointing at a picture on his phone. Pointing at _Jeno_ in a picture with Donghyuck.

 

“Tell me that I’m more handsome than him.”

 

“You know I don't mean it, but sure. You’re the most handsome.” Jaemin rolled his eyes.

 

“He’s a rock,” Donghyuck added. “Really dumb.”

 

“So is Mark,” Jaemin retorted.

 

Donghyuck scoffed. “Brave of you to think that I didn’t know that. Give me his whereabouts at lunchtime, I’ll give you Jeno’s number.”

 

“Deal.”

 

 

 

Library. Mark was at the library.

 

“You’re here,” the elder stated without looking up from his books. Donghyuck raised an eyebrow before sliding into the chair opposite of Mark.

 

“How did you know it was me?”

 

“Your aura,” Mark replied, flipping a page, snickering at the joke attempt he just made.

 

“You’re so stupid.”

 

Mark obviously didn’t know how to reply to that, focusing on his book once again. Or at least he was pretending to. The younger looked for a moment, he stared at the way Mark’s hair fell in front of his eyes when he bent his neck down, and how he wrings his hands a little when he doesn’t know what to say.

 

He considered giving Mark a little more sugar for a brief moment, before thinking better of it and slinging his back over his shoulders again.

 

“But that’s why I like you.”

 

And he could feel Mark’s gaze burning into the back of his head when he left the library. He felt red-hot. He could never keep his cool around Mark.

 

 

 

He knew it wasn’t right when he had caught such intense feelings for Mark. Mark was always distant from the rest of his friends. He was always there, but he _wasn’t_. He never expressed any opinions or feelings. All he did was laugh. No one knew how he felt, and the first time Mark told anyone how he felt was when he was alone with Donghyuck.

 

Mark told him things that he would never tell the others. He made Donghyuck feel exclusive, and maybe that was why Donghyuck liked him so much. He always felt special around Mark, even if the other was a little (a lot) emotionally congested.

 

Mark lets him rest on his shoulder when the others are out of sight. He lets Donghyuck link his arms around his. He also had a habit of touching Donghyuck’s thighs, which lead the younger into a different train of thought. One that he’d save for later.

 

He’s never distracted when he listens to Donghyuck speaking, constantly listening intently, trying to come up with answers that would work best. Anything Mark said worked the best. This is when Donghyuck realizes that he is madly in love with Mark, to the point where he could no longer keep it in. He was about to explode.

 

This was only possible because of the reactions that Mark gave. Sometimes, Mark does things that makes Donghyuck feel like he isn’t the only one that has fallen in deep.

 

 

 

“What color is my aura?” Donghyuck asked.

 

This time they were on the school rooftop during a free period. Mark had gone up there with his music player and earphones and Donghyuck had joined him.

 

“I don’t actually know anything about that,” Mark replied. “But yellow. Definitely yellow.”

 

“You’re white. Or silver.” Donghyuck replied, squinting at the other. The sun was shining directly into his eyes and it made him very uncomfortable.

 

“Why?” Mark asked as he shifted himself in a position such that the sun did not shine directly into Donghyuck’s eyes. This position also meant that all of Donghyuck’s vision was occupied by Mark.

 

The sun’s light shone from behind Mark, a bright white outline around the other. _“I can see your silver aura,”_ Donghyuck wanted to say. You look like an angel.

 

But Donghyuck did what he always did, which was to seem indifferent.

 

He shrugged. “No reason.”

 

His vision was still slightly off because of the intense light, but he swore he saw an angel in Mark.

 

He grabbed his things. “Leaving already?” Mark frowned, a slight disappointment in his voice.

 

“Have to meet Jeno to discuss our science project,” Donghyuck replied flatly. _Please tell me to stay_.

 

“Get going, then.”

 

 

 

“Today we’ll be studying the density of certain gases. Can anyone give me an example of a gas that’s denser than air?”

 

“Mark Lee.”

 

 

 

“You know, for someone that hates me, you sure do hang out with me a lot,” Mark said while picking at his lunch. The saucer of ketchup had toppled into his rice. A large portion of his rice was now inedible (for Mark, since he hated ketchup). A clean line he had made separated the ketchup-covered rice from the clean rice.

 

“I don’t hate you,” Donghyuck replied, glancing back down at his perfectly untouched rice. Mark perked up as if he had heard something shocking.

 

“Really?”

 

“We can swap,” Donghyuck pointed to Mark’s tray.

 

The elder shook his head. “It’s fine. I’m not that hungry anyway.”

 

“Ketchup on rice is good.”

 

Mark widened his eyes as if he were extremely distressed. His eyes could pop out of his head at any moment. Overreacting again.

 

“You want this, then?” Mark pointed to his tray. Donghyuck nodded.

 

God, he’s so cute. He’s so cute when he’s clueless, he’s so damn cute when he realizes the complexity of Donghyuck’s passive words. He’s so cute when he doesn’t realize. It’s so frustrating when he’s cute.

 

They swapped trays.

 

Donghyuck only ate the part of the rice that Mark had sectioned off.

 

 

 

Donghyuck didn’t really question it when he started to see Jeno hang around with Jaemin more often. It wasn’t like he had enough space in his head to think about anything else besides Mark, anyway. But Renjun did.

 

“Are they going out or something?” Renjun pointed at the two. “Jeno once told me that he found Jaemin really good looking. Something like that. Never thought he’d have the guts to make a move.”

 

“Jaemin said that Jeno has a pretty smile.”

 

Renjun was a smart one. He was aware of everything even if his uninterested demeanor seemed otherwise.

 

“I have a question,” Donghyuck said abruptly. “What does Mark Lee think of me?”

 

“God, who knows what Mark Lee thinks about.” Renjun laughed. Donghyuck agreed sadly.

 

“Who knows if Mark Lee even _thinks_ ,” Donghyuck scoffed to himself.

 

 

 

“Why don’t you just make it obvious that you like him?” Jaemin shrugged, taking a sip out of his horrible-looking coffee concoction.

 

Donghyuck raised an eyebrow. He _thought_ he had been pretty obvious.

 

“Maybe he doesn’t feel that way about me,” he tried to hide the dejectedness in his voice, scoffing right after he had finished his sentence. “I shouldn’t be caring about this so much. We’re in high school, who cares?”

 

“If he makes you happy,” Jaemin added, “you should go for it.”

 

Mark Lee makes Donghyuck frustrated and want to rip all his hair out. He makes Donghyuck sad sometimes, when he doesn’t acknowledge his desperate attempts to get his attention. But the happiness he felt with him outweighed all these negative emotions and Jaemin was right. _Mark makes me so happy_.

 

Jeno popped out of the class as soon as the bell rang and waved at Jaemin excitedly.

 

“Why did you skip English class?” His tone changed immediately, upon his eyes meeting Donghyuck’s. Donghyuck shrugged. “I don’t know.”

 

From the corner of his eye, he attempted to catch a glimpse of Mark. He rarely attended English class, and if he did, he was always slow and usually the last to leave the classroom. “Looking for Mark?” Jeno asked smugly, an eyebrow raised.

 

“Shut up. Do you even have to ask?”

 

“He wasn’t in class today. I did see him during assembly, though.” Jeno added while Jaemin flung an arm over his shoulder. Jeno glanced over at the other in shock but pretended to be calm right after.

 

If Mark wasn’t in class, he’d be at the rooftop or the library. Since it was lunch now, he was probably somewhere around there. Donghyuck thought that this was the perfect chance to see him.

 

“I’ve got to run,” Donghyuck stated, his two friends nodding at him in unison.

 

He ran. There was absolutely no reason to since he had a free hour. But every single second he’s away from Mark makes him want to fall apart. Sometimes he scoffs at himself. He was way too young to be feeling like that.

 

The library would be full at this time and Mark didn’t really like crowds – Donghyuck decided to just go for the rooftop without checking. Sure enough, the elder was there, laying on the floor and staring up at the clouds, earpieces stuffed in both ears.

 

“You’re here. Did you run?” Mark lifted a brow, removing one side of his earbuds. Donghyuck shook his head – Mark laughed amusedly, almost in a patronizing manner. “Why do you lie about obvious things?”

 

Funny that Mark was talking about “obvious things”.

 

“I’m bored, entertain me,” Donghyuck started as he sat in front of the elder. The weather that day was nice. It wasn’t too sunny, which got annoying sometimes, and it wasn’t raining either. It wasn’t too windy to the point their bodies felt like feathers. “Tell me about your day or something. Why weren’t you in English class?”

 

“I kind of, uh, don’t really need that,” Mark scratched the back of his head. “Why weren’t _you_ in English class?”

 

“How did you know I wasn’t there?”

 

“I happened to walk past. I didn’t see you in your usual seat.” Mark explained, disconnecting his earpieces from his phone, then shoving them in his pocket. “So, why weren’t you there?”

 

“No reason. Tell me about your day so far.”

 

“Well, it was boring. I didn’t feel like going to English class. I’m dreading science later. But I feel better now since you’re here, you know, keeping me company.”

 

“ _How am I supposed to feel when you tell me things like this_?” Donghyuck thought. How could Mark say things that made his heart jump and cause such intense chemical reactions inside him and not think much about them?

 

“What?” The elder looked over this time, concerned.

 

“What?” Donghyuck was just as confused and concerned. Had he accidentally blurted out what he was thinking?

 

“You asked me how you’re supposed to feel like after what I said before,” Mark put it into simple words, and Donghyuck realized that he hated how the elder always put things in their simplest terms. It made him feel so simple. Donghyuck remained silent.

 

“Well, I don’t know, how do you feel? Maybe your heart is racing.” _Correct_.

 

Mark rambled on.

 

“Maybe you want to punch me in the face.” _Also correct_.

 

“So, how do you feel?” The elder turned back. He’s so cheesy that it’s disgusting. He turned back and locked eyes with Donghyuck who was still trying to come down from Mark’s earlier words. Donghyuck had never felt so vulnerable – he felt like an open book. It seemed like his thoughts were scribbled onto his forehead, and Mark was reading every single one of them out loud.

 

Mark moved closer, this time sitting up properly, lips at Donghyuck’s eye-level. Donghyuck bit his lips nervously.

 

“I-I want to kiss you. Can I-”

 

No doubt, Mark moved to close up the gap between them. He carefully placed his lips onto Donghyuck’s as if he were unsure, only adding pressure once he felt right. Donghyuck closed his eyes. He wouldn’t know he’d react if they had met Mark’s. Maybe he’d finally explode.

 

The kiss lasted no longer than five seconds, with no other movement from either of them. Donghyuck really thought that _kissing_ would be easier once they actually got things started. But it was just awkward. And kind of sad.

 

“Did you mean it like that?” Mark moved away and leaned back casually with a smirk. He was resting his weight on his arms.

 

“Y-you didn’t... just do that…” Donghyuck stuttered (which sounded extremely weird coming from him).

 

Mark laughed. It was a hearty sort of laugh. Like he was enjoying himself. Like he was enjoying watching Donghyuck suffer. “Why, was that your first kiss?”

 

“I have to be somewhere right now.”

 

With that, the younger dashed down the stairs without any further warning.

 

Emotions flooded his entire body and he was more puzzled than ever. Finding a stall in the nearest toilet, he took a seat and tried to calm himself down.

 

If he were to go back to that rooftop, he’d scream at Mark for making his first ever kiss so painfully awkward. _Their_ first kiss, too. It was so embarrassing that Donghyuck’s fingers curled in involuntarily, forming fists. How was he going to face Mark ever again?

 

The meaning behind the kiss sets in a little later, and Donghyuck found himself smiling like a fool. He’s the biggest fool that’s ever existed.

 

_He’s so simple._

 

 

 

The next few days passed as they did regularly, minus the part where Donghyuck would look for Mark whenever he had the time to do so. Donghyuck definitely wasn’t sure about how to approach him after what had happened last Friday (he even skipped science lab, which he actually enjoyed!).

 

“I like Jeno,” Jaemin puts his thoughts into words simply and carelessly. Donghyuck frowned at him without giving an actual reply.

 

Jaemin never had a problem with expressing himself. He does it in such a direct manner. He never keeps what’s upsetting him bottled up inside. He’s the type of guy that makes you want to expose your deepest darkest secrets to him.

 

“Do you know if he likes you back?” He had a reply, after further thinking. After thinking about his current situation with Mark.

 

Jaemin shrugged. “Nope, not at all. He’s never said anything like that. But god, the stuff he does…”

 

“And you’re putting it out there so blatantly that you like him?”

 

“I mean, what’s the point of liking someone if they don’t feel the same way about you? You should always tell them in case they feel the same way about you too,” he sounded so wise. It was probably because he was constantly crushing on someone. “If you go too long without confirming that you both like each other, one of you is going to get tired.”

 

Donghyuck couldn’t believe he was listening to Jaemin’s advice. Well, it was true that Jaemin was more experienced than him in this field (since Donghyuck had just lost his first kiss a couple of days before. Oh, that, and he’s never been in a relationship).

 

“Besides, there’s absolutely no shame in having feelings.”

 

“That makes sense,” Donghyuck nodded.

 

“See!” Jaemin beamed. “You should tell Mark.”

 

For a moment, Donghyuck actually considered informing Jaemin about his current situation with Mark. He then thought better of it – he still had his pride to maintain. Plus, Jaemin had a big mouth. He’d definitely tell Jeno, and Jeno isn’t one to let things go easily. He’d tease Donghyuck till his death.

 

“Maybe telling him directly would be the only way for him to realize.” He grumbled. He had to make it seem like Mark was still dense though Mark had always realized. The thought sent shivers down Donghyuck’s spine.

 

How many other things did Mark notice? Had he noticed Donghyuck’s desperate attempts to seem indifferent, to keep himself composed in front of him? Was _Mark_ the one waiting for Donghyuck, and not the other way round?

 

Realization dawned on Donghyuck. “I’m so stupid,” he groaned.

 

 

 

Though the next few days consisted of Donghyuck running away from Mark, the other didn’t seem to be affected at all. It was almost as if he knew that he had a place secured in Donghyuck’s mind.

 

Donghyuck found it weird that he didn’t feel one bit insecure. Sure, Mark laughed at everyone’s jokes and seemed overall, well, really easy-going, but he seldom let people in. Everyone liked him for the way he seemed and not what he actually was. Not many knew what he actually was like. And Mark himself kept a comfortable distance from everyone else.

 

From the moment Donghyuck had rested on the other without invoking resistance, but instead a relaxation of the shoulder so that Donghyuck could rest more comfortably, he had fallen off the earth. He started orbiting around Mark.

 

And how long did it take Mark to react? Not too long, no, Mark knew how he felt this whole time. Mark felt the same way. Mark was waiting for Donghyuck to give him a signal that he was ready to go. Donghyuck was the clueless one.

 

His mind ran for days without rest, until he decided that closure was needed in order for things to proceed. Ironically, it was just as systematic as solving a math equation. It just needed some time and thinking.

 

 

 

Jaemin and Jeno announced that they were going out the next week, and Donghyuck saw a side of Jeno he had never seen. He had never seen Jeno so genuinely happy.

 

And, unusual as it seemed, Jeno liked Jaemin first. He had never said a word about Jaemin before. The heart works in ways that make people wonder. It also makes people expect the unexpected, it makes people do things that are so out-of-character.

 

The constant fight between his ever-so-resilient mind and his carefree heart lead Donghyuck to his next step. He was now one step away to solving the problem sum which was himself and not Mark. One step from finding the right answer and writing a statement of confirmation.

 

One step away from the end, and also the beginning.

 

 

 

_You’ve been waiting for me this entire time, and this time, I’ll show you that I’ll be waiting for you too, willingly._

 

Donghyuck clenched his fists tightly as he climbed the stairs up to the rooftop. It was still dawn, stars from the night before pinned on the sky like the glow-in-the-dark stars he had on his ceiling when he was a kid. A cool breeze passed by and messed up his hair.

 

The bell rang, indicating the start of English class. Mark always skipped English class. Well, he didn’t need it anyway.

 

Sure enough, someone trudged up the stairs a couple of minutes later, a bag in hand, one side of his earpiece plugged into one ear, and a surprised look on his face. “Oh?”

 

Donghyuck waved at the other awkwardly. Mark immediately plopped down right next to him in a childish manner. “How’re you? We haven’t talked in days.”

 

“Great… What about you?”

 

“I mean, it’s only been a few days. Nothing much has changed,” Mark replied. Only a few days? Those few days Donghyuck needed to figure himself out were so painfully boring that they felt like years. Every hour felt like an entire week. Donghyuck picked at his nails, unsettled.

 

“You missed science lab,” Mark started again. Donghyuck groaned internally – he was full of regret. He loved science lab so much. Even more than he liked Mark.

 

“Yeah, I was really ill.”

 

Donghyuck’s replies were cold and curt but the other seemed completely fine, rambling on and on about his day and things that he liked. His face lit up every single time he started a new sentence. Mark Lee either has, one, zero situational awareness, or two, overflowing confidence that Donghyuck was head over heels for him and nothing could change that.

 

Turns out it was both, and Mark was starting to get tired out by Donghyuck’s effortless replies.

 

“I didn’t want to bring this up and make things awkward though it’s all I’ve been thinking about but look, about what happened last time-”

 

“About that.” Donghyuck interrupted. “I believe you have something to compensate for.”

 

Mark raised an eyebrow while pushing his bag and phone aside, sitting cross-legged directly across Donghyuck. “What do you mean? Oh, was it _really_ your first kiss? Shit, I’m sorry. We can totally pretend that didn’t happen if you’d like-”

 

“Why are you so amused for? And yes, that was my first kiss! I can’t even call that a kiss, honestly. You ruined it! You need to compensate for your actions, you need to- you need to do it again.” Donghyuck was a little shocked at his mini outburst. His voice was gradually growing smaller. “You need to do it properly this time.”

 

“Wow,” was all Mark could say. “Why don’t you try doing it this time?”

 

Donghyuck lunged forward and his lips met Mark’s lips roughly, bodies crashing into each other. He was practically on top of Mark before the elder lifted himself off the ground with much effort, having to carry Donghyuck’s weight as well. Donghyuck had managed to find a space on his lap.

 

Hands wrapped tightly around the back of Mark’s neck, fingers playing with the hair on the nape of his neck, Donghyuck parted his lips slightly. Mark caught on almost immediately, following suit.

 

The world stopped, the stars froze as they fell from the sky.

 

Mark’s arms were wrapped around Donghyuck’s waist, neck tilted up as Donghyuck bit his lips cautiously, but still invoking a wince from Mark.

 

The other pulled away suddenly, having to catch his breath while Donghyuck grinned sheepishly. “Sorry for that.”

 

His eyes examined Mark’s face, stopping at his wet and kiss-swollen lips as the other panted softly. Mark never took his eyes off Donghyuck’s. “Can we,” Mark said breathily. “Can we do that again?”

 

Donghyuck smiled, face leaning into the elder’s again, kissing the elder, going back into the pace that they had built up initially almost immediately. Mark gasped every time Donghyuck bit his lip – the younger laughed into the kiss, while Mark still seemed completely serious.

 

When their lips are finally disconnected and each caught their own breaths. Donghyuck let out a breathy laugh, wiping his now-swollen lips with the back of his hand.

 

Mark looked like he was thinking hard. “You know, I know I’m not the brightest, but you’re really not as bright as you seem.”

 

Donghyuck rolled his eyes. “Am I supposed to be offended by this?”

 

“You’re the stupid one,” Mark retorted.

 

“I’m stupid for liking someone as stupid as you, I guess.” Donghyuck shrugged casually while the other struggled to keep his smile off his face. “Stop doing that, you look dumb.”

 

“ _You_ look dumb all the time,” Mark declared as if he had been extremely smart with his words or something like that. Donghyuck let out a laugh of disbelief.

 

“I guess I’m stupid for liking you too,” Mark added. “But I’m still not as stupid as you are.”

 

“Fuck off, you liked me first.”

 

“Are you sure about that? I’m pretty sure you’re the one that started following me around first.”

 

“That’s because you were fun to annoy,” Donghyuck chuckled and so did the other, before Donghyuck put on a serious face again. “But yeah. I like you. A lot.”

 

“Dude, don’t look so serious. You look weird like this,” and this time Mark was unable to hold his laughter in.

 

“You can’t call me ‘dude’ when we’re dating!” Donghyuck whined.

 

“Dude, I like you too,” Mark smirked. Donghyuck hit him in the chest. He thought _he_ was the annoying one.

 

A comfortable silence, Donghyuck rests his head on Mark’s shoulder and sighed loudly. It was such a relief. Everything up to this moment felt so worth it – he’s never felt this content, not even once, in his entire life.

 

 

 

When he was with Mark, everything just seemed so much more simple. Everything was so much more comfortable.

 

It’s true that Mark is a little easy, a little too naïve, and a little too easy going. It’s true that Mark is way too nice to him.

 

It’s also true that the look in Mark’s eyes was what had drawn Donghyuck in initially. He still gets lost in them. Mark knows that the way Donghyuck likes him is different from all he’s ever felt. He had always known.

 

It’s not true that Mark was difficult to solve. He had been getting the question wrong all this time because the initial values were messed up. Donghyuck had to figure himself out first before anything else. And when he did, the problem looked possible to solve.

 

Maybe there will be a thousand problem sums to be solved along the way, but he wouldn’t mind as long as he was with Mark.

 

Sometimes Donghyuck _doesn’t_ find a way. Instead, Mark makes his way towards him.

**Author's Note:**

> it's been an entire year since i've written a fic!!!!!! amazing!!!!!!! sorry i keep procrastinating and i keep starting shit that i can't finish lmao 
> 
> anyway comments will be much appreciated and thank u for reading!!!! <3


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